Chapter 448: The Fake Haxorus

Throw the Tynamo into the water to learn swimming.

To Baimu, this move was no different from that kid Xiao Ming back in the Unmarked Early Stage who made a Pangoro charge into the water.

Normal people would never think of such a thing, but psychics aren't normal people!

Because he had a unique method of training his psychic abilities.

【You know well that the body is the foundation for effective psychic growth, and years of diligent training have not disappointed you—you went from being unable to bend a spoon to now twisting it into a spiral, all thanks to—muscles.】

What the hell do muscles have to do with psychic powers?

Baimu agreed that the body was the foundation, but he couldn't equate muscles with psychic abilities.

The physical body and the spirit were deeply interconnected, yet fundamentally different, belonging to two separate domains.

However.

If psychics held this belief and put it into practice, there must have been results to back it up.

Unfortunately, the simulator didn't detail the scenes of psychic training—after showing physical exercise, it simply gave a mundane clip of him using his psychic power to lift heavy stones.

This gave Baimu the illusion that the guy had just been lifting weights and somehow accidentally gotten stronger in his psychic abilities.

But he knew for certain the truth wasn't like that.

Psychics weren't some bald-headed Superman.

Had the simulator not added special effects when he bent the spoon and attacked the Tynamo, Baimu would have truly believed he'd twisted the spoon with his hands and knocked out the Tynamo with punches too fast for the eye to track.

Oddly, the Tynamo seemed to have no objection to being thrown into the water—in the sped-up footage, by the later stages, it was even entering the water willingly.

Baimu watched and understood this was tied to the psychic's presence in the water alongside other Pokémon—if the psychic stood on shore, the Tynamo likely wouldn't be so eager.

The Tynamo didn't swim by flapping its pathetic pincers—it used its Reflect Wall to create a surfboard-like platform beneath itself to stay dry, then propelled forward with telekinesis.

So it wasn't swimming so much as surfing.

All of this was taught to it by the psychic, conveyed to Baimu through narration and visuals, leaving him with a sudden sense of expanded knowledge.

——This is actually allowed?!

Clearly, psychics had some tricks.

But…

Fine, the Starly and Slowking were okay, but how come the Drowzee was such a good swimmer?

Baimu couldn't understand why Drowzee ignored its specialty—Hypnosis—but why was its swimming technique so advanced? Unlike the Tynamo, it was swimming properly, moving its arms and legs just like the psychic himself.

To anyone unaware, you'd think it was Phelps reborn—calling it the "Yellow Eel of the Waves" wasn't an exaggeration.

Baimu stared at the screen, half-convinced that if the visuals were 3D, you might even see Drowzee's streamlined physique and six-pack abs rivaling those of a Haxorus.

The scenes flashed rapidly.

Finally.

The psychic completed the primary goal of his "seclusion training."

【Your Tynamo has evolved into a Tynamo.】

The yellow Tynamo in the stream was enveloped in blue light; when the glow faded, it had flown out of the water, transformed into a mechanical-looking ladybug shaped like a UFO.

Its antennae resembled the radar dish of a Gundam, its eyes constantly glowing blue like two bright bulbs.

Even in pixel art, Baimu couldn't help thinking the thing looked kinda cool.

On screen.

The psychic began packing up, preparing to depart.

【You are satisfied with your training results and decide to head to the nearest Route 2 town to challenge the first Gym.】

The Galar region's map layout was simple—straightforward north-south routes, with trains you could hop on anytime to go anywhere.

This clearly showed how rapidly Galar had developed—train networks like this didn't even appear in the anime until much later.

The psychic boarded a train at the nearest station and arrived at Route 2, a town nestled in a basin, its houses spread across terraced fields.

【You have successfully reached Route 2 town. The upcoming Gym challenge fills you with excitement.】

The simulator gave Baimu a bird's-eye view so he could see what the pixelated Sword/Shield town looked like.

I have to say, it's really good-looking.

The psychic also admired Route 2's pastoral scenery, especially the Flapple herds driven by the Pachirisu—round, chubby lambs with "Baa~" and "Baa~" constantly popping from their foreheads, making Baimu intensely envious.

Flapple was so adorable!

After passing through the Flapple herd, the psychic arrived before a massive arena.

Due to its unique nature, Gym challenges in Galar required long preparation time—mostly for ticket sales. But fortunately, Dynamax battles were extremely appealing, so even tourists from other regions would come to buy tickets, meaning there was no worry about tickets not selling.

【You entered Route 2 Arena. Staff verified your recommendation letter and scheduled your Gym challenge for three days later.】

After the narration ended.

The psychic turned and walked out—but the moment he stepped outside, the screen abruptly cut back to him entering.

Clearly, the three days of preparation were entirely skipped by the simulator.

Baimu watched the screen eagerly.

Gigantamax battles were rare large-scale events; he figured even the simulator's simplified turn-based combat could be made visually spectacular.

He saw the psychic walk through a tunnel into the arena—a battlefield the size of a soccer stadium, surrounded by spectator stands that likely held over ten thousand viewers.

Too bad the pixels were too blurry—he couldn't make it out clearly.

Across from the psychic stood a pink-haired, child-faced muscular giant, wearing a straw hat and a football-style athletic outfit.

【You challenged Route 2 Gym Leader Aloy.】

Baimu remembered this leader was known as the "Farmer Fighter," beloved by many women for his gentle personality and muscular physique.

What he remembered most clearly was that this guy had no nose.

No.

It should be said that there's no drawn nose; the official standing art only shows a round face with a few freckles.

While All Baimu was pondering, music suddenly rang out beside his ear.

He started violently, first looking around, and his gaze collided with the curious-faced Dorlobaru behind him.

This fellow had been behind him for half a day, never understanding why he could have so many expressions while reading a book — was the plot that exciting? If only it could read too.

On the other side.

All Baimu followed the familiar melody and found the source of the music — the emulator's light screen.

After the Musician feature, the emulator had once again activated its sound function, playing a track he was very familiar with — the Sword and Shield Gym battle theme, the one that sounded just like a World Cup melody.

Honestly, this Sword and Shield Gym battle theme is practically the soul of Sword and Shield; when he used to play the game, he'd deliberately drag things out until the music reached its climax before using Dynamax, just for that rush of热血.

Without this track, even a Dynamax battle feels like it's missing something.

And now the emulator had thoughtfully reproduced the track for him — All Baimu couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

On the screen.

The Psychic-type trainer also sent out Hypno, which engaged in fierce combat with Alloro's Tornadus.

One was Psychic-type, the other Grass/Dark-type; the former was clearly at a disadvantage against the latter, but who would have thought that as the ace of a trainer who had competed in two regional tournaments, Hypno wasn't the push-it looked on the surface.

All that muscle on its body wasn't trained for nothing.

Therefore.

All Baimu soon saw Hypno prop open a wall of light to forcibly withstand Tornadus's Dark Pulse, then once close, burst forward at top speed, grab its face, and slam it into the ground.

After a Peng De, slamming it dizzy, it pulled out coins connected by silk thread, and used Hypnosis within a space of less than twenty centimeters.

Tornadus was indeed a Dark-type Pokémon, but it could only resist Psychic-type attacking moves — it couldn't resist status moves, so facing Hypno's fierce Hypnosis, it inevitably fell victim.

What a pity.

Psychic?

Perhaps it's short for "super-can-use-force."

Under All Baimu's gaze, Hypno didn't wait for Alloro to switch — it unleashed countless Drain Punches right on Tornadus's forehead; under the Ora Ora Ora barrage, the latter, whose durability was too frail, lost its ability to battle before it could suck back the stamina it had lost.

Such violent physical attacks made one increasingly suspect this fellow was a Machoke wearing Hypno's skin.

Two tournaments' worth of terrifying strength!

【Your Hypno defeated Tornadus】

One could see exclamation marks and surprised expressions popping up all over the audience seats — clearly, this kind of Hypno from the Psychic-type trainer was a rare sight for them.

Soon.

Alloro released his second Pokémon — Cherrim in its Overcast Form.

The Psychic-type trainer didn't switch Pokémon, continuing to let Hypno stay on the field to fight; the trust in the latter was plain to see.

And All Baimu carefully tilted his ear to listen to the progress of the background music… mm, it hadn't reached the climax yet, no problem. If the Psychic-type trainer unleashed Dynamax during the climax, it would definitely feel awesome, but unfortunately, such a coincidence was unlikely.

The second battle was relatively simple.

Hypno wasn't like Pikachu, which the writers had tormented into an Oscar winner — it had real strength and used it, especially against the Cherrim that actively switched to its Sunshine Form; it was as if it forgot it was a Psychic-type Pokémon, leaping over and delivering a Fire Punch!

To show off its power, the screen even gave a special close-up of red-and-orange explosive bubbles.

Cherrim, as expected, was cleanly one-shot by Hypno.

【Your Hypno defeated Cherrim】

Although it was only the first gym, watching this far, All Baimu couldn't help but doubt Alloro's ability as a trainer — had this guy really been giving it his all?

Do Galar region gyms also decide the strength of the Pokémon they send out based on badge count?

While thinking this, Alloro took out his third Pokémon — a green short-legged dog… or rather donkey? — whose torso looked like an enormous fruit.

The background music suddenly changed.

The Psychic-type trainer and Hypno also seemed to sense something, frozen in place.

【You watch Alloro recall Flapple into the Poké Ball, and under the effect of the Dynamax Band, that Poké Ball became enormously huge; for a moment, his expression was utterly focused】

Affected by the energy nodes, although the Psychic-type trainer had obtained the Dynamax Band quite early, he had never successfully completed a single Dynamax — he didn't even understand the Dynamax procedure.

Unlike the games, in the animation there was no special alternate space like a Pokémon Den, so naturally the Psychic-type trainer had no way to practice Dynamax normally.

【A novel app that has run stably for many years, comparable to the old version of the source-switching app used by veteran readers, huanyuanapp.】

All Baimu's expression was calm; hearing the cheers rising from the background music, he knew the climax was about to arrive.

In an instant.

Alloro spun and hurled the enormous energy Poké Ball backward; the massive creature instantly took shape, a terrifying figure like a giant peak landing within the field, drawing a flood of excited screaming expressions from the audience seats.

— Gigantamax Flapple, the Gigantamax form with an apple-shaped body oozing honey and a huge snake head and thick snake tail.

And that "ah~ ah~~~" sound that haunted the soul, as if one were at a World Cup site, also drifted into All Baimu's ears.

Hoo!

Satisfying!

He blinked, remembering that in the game, the Dynamax Pokémon Alloro brought out was Weezing, and he only brought out Gigantamax Flapple or Gigantamax Appletun at the Champion Cup.

Looks like Alloro really did go all out!

Judging by this, the Psychic-type trainer's combat power might be even greater than he imagined… worthy of an orange talent, that foundation of strength is truly solid!

Top four isn't a dream!

All Baimu watched the Psychic-type trainer, copying what he'd learned, Dynamax Hypno; two giant beasts engaged in a Dynamax move slugfest within the soccer-field-sized arena.

Very exciting.

Even in pixel-art style, the sight of the two giant beasts moving around the field still made the heart tremble.

But when all was said and done, there were only three chances to attack.

The Psychic-type trainer was clearly inexperienced in this area — he hadn't even researched the side effects of various Dynamax moves, wasting all three chances, causing Hypno to ultimately fail to overcome Gigantamax Flapple and be defeated by the latter's 【Gigantamax Sweetness】.

Fortunately, the Dream Mime successfully dragged out Honey Dragon's Dynamax time as well, and those three Dynamax attacks also dealt enough damage to Honey Dragon.

So when the second Starmie entered the field, all it needed to do was finish things off with an Ice Beam.

And although Starmie isn't pure skin-wrapped Machoke like Hypno, covered head to toe in bulging muscles, its tentacle strength is also extremely powerful — a casual flick sends it flying ten meters into the air, firing beams from on high, looking just like an alien.

Honey Dragon still wanted to recover its condition, but Starmie showed it through action what it means to indulge in a fool's dream.

The battle screen froze on the instant Honey Dragon was frozen into a "frozen pear."

【You have defeated the Turffield Gym Leader, Allister, and obtained the Grass Badge】

A strange arc-shaped metal piece appeared on the simulator screen — the Galar region's gym badges are different from those of the previous six regions, lacking that strong sense of unique design, and can simply be combined into one big metal disc.